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controverial weissia moss, green-cushion weissia moss, green-tuft stubble-moss, pigtail moss

Habit Plants green to tan.
Stem

central strand present or absent, sclerodermis commonly poorly differentiated, hyalodermis commonly present.

Leaves

short- to long-lanceolate, base weakly differentiated to ovate, shoulders weak or absent, distal laminal margins strongly and usually but not always sharply incurved or inrolled, apex plane to channeled, acute, mucro usually weak, of 1–5(–8) cells;

costal adaxial stereid band smaller than the abaxial;

distal laminal cells 6–13 µm wide.

lanceolate to linear, apex acute, margins plane to weakly incurved or involute;

distal laminal cells if 2-stratose stacked directly over one another, walls smooth or papillose, KOH yellow, occasionally orange;

costa lacking a differentiated abaxial epidermis;

gemmae uncommon, when present seldom clavate.

Seta

elongate, 0.3–0.8 cm.

Sexual condition

monoicous.

Capsule

stegocarpic, long-ovate to cylindric, operculum differentiated, falling, peristome present, teeth rudimentary to lanceolate, or occasionally absent.

Peristome

present or absent.

Weissia controversa

Pottiaceae subfam. trichostomoideae

Phenology Capsules mature throughout year depending on area of the flora.
Habitat Weedy, soil, rock, disturbed areas, roadsides, fields, acid or calcareous substrates
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AL; AZ; CA; CO; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; KS; KY; LA; MA; MI; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; TN; TX; UT; VA; WA; WI; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Mexico; Central America; South America; Africa; Pacific Islands; Greenland; Eurasia; West Indies; Australia
[WildflowerSearch map]
Worldwide
Discussion

This treatment of Weissia controversa follows the study of A. Stoneburner (1985), which justifiably included W. andrewsii, and, agreeing with H. A. Crum and L. E. Anderson (1981), pointed out the great variation in peristome development including occurrence of both eperistomate and peristomate capsules in the same collection. The present treatment includes all flora area reports of W. condensa, a morphologically distinct European species with characters as listed in Excluded Species. Rhizoidal gemmae were reported by W. D. Reese (1988) but these are apparently rare. Weissia viridula Bridel is an illegitimate name that has been much used for this taxon.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Genera 21 (7 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 27, p. 514. FNA vol. 27, p. 485.
Parent taxa Pottiaceae > subfam. Trichostomoideae > Weissia Pottiaceae
Sibling taxa
W. brachycarpa, W. inoperculata, W. jamaicensis, W. ligulifolia, W. ludoviciana, W. muhlenbergiana, W. occidentalis, W. phascopsis, W. sharpii
Subordinate taxa
Synonyms Gymnostomum rauanum, Mollia viridula, W. andrewsii, W. brandegeei, W. controversa var. australis, W. controversa var. longiseta, W. controversa var. wolffii, W. curvicaulis, W. longiseta, W. microodonta, W. viridula var. nitida, W. wolfii subfamily Trichostomaceae
Name authority Hedwig: Sp. Musc. Frond., 67. (1801) (Schimper) Brotherus: in H. G. A. Engler and K. Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 212[I,3]: 381. (1902)
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